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Archives for September 2020

Can Dentists Prescribe Antibiotics?

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doctor holding pills for auburn al dentist blog

I have a raging toothache and called around to several dentists in Auburn to see what their policies on prescriptions are. To be clear, this thing doesn’t just hurt. Half my face swelled up. I told them all this—that I’m in agony with some kind of tooth infection but that I can’t afford to treat the tooth until I get paid in two weeks. Maybe four, depending on how much this is going to cost me.

Not a single one would give me a straight answer. They all said that I’d have to book an appointment and that the doctor would let me know my options after an exam. I get that they want to take precautions, but this is beyond ridiculous. At this point, I’m deciding whether I should just go to my primary care physician to get medications and revisit dental treatment after payday. I would love a straight answer though. Should I bother booking?

Thanks,

Joey

 

Dear Joey,

Sorry to hear your situation wasn’t treated with the care and consideration it deserves. Let’s break down your answer.

Yes, Dentists Prescribe Antibiotics

Dentists are doctors. They can prescribe all sorts of medications, including antibiotics and pain medications. Particularly given the symptoms you described, antibiotics would be a necessity in this situation and it’s hard to imagine a dentist not prescribing them unless something else is going on.

Pain medication is a different story entirely though. Given the current regulations and high potential for abuse, many will not prescribe narcotics. In fact, you may have raised red flags with these offices if you called around without specifying what kind of medication you were hoping to receive. They probably thought that’s what you were looking for, not antibiotics for a swollen face.

You Need to See a Dentist ASAP

This qualifies as a dental emergency. Anytime you have an infection like this, it’s imperative to start treatment right away. As odd as it sounds, people still die in this day and age from untreated dental infections. Rather than calling around and asking about meds, find out which dentist can see you today. You’ll probably leave with your antibiotic prescription and a complete estimate on doing the repair work when you’re ready.

Explore Affordable Dentists if Budget is a Concern

It sounds like cost has been a major concern for you, possibly preventing you from treating this tooth to begin with. Don’t let cost be a barrier—it leads to issues like what you’re experiencing today. Instead, find someone who can work with you a bit. Each office will approach affordable dentistry differently. While you do NOT want someone who does cheap dental work, you can find offices that have reasonable fees, will break up your treatment and help you prioritize appointments, and even some that offer payment plans or accept Care Credit (a medical credit card). This is something to keep in the back of your mind while you’re getting that tooth squared away—you’ll want to come back for a full exam soon and start addressing other issues as you can before they get a chance to turn into an emergency. Best of luck to you.

 

This blog is sponsored by Dr. Raymond Bolt, an Auburn, AL dentist offering comprehensive care and same-day appointments for dental emergencies.

 

Do Pediatric Dentists Do Surgery?

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tween girl thinking for auburn al pediatric dentist blog

I’m wondering if pediatric dentists normally do surgery. Our 11-year old has been seeing the same dentist since she was a baby and normally does well, but this last time she went in, they told us she had a bad cavity and told us we needed to take her to another dentist for root canal surgery, saying they don’t treat kids her age there. That’s not true. I’ve seen teenagers in there.

I didn’t want to call them liars or start a fight over this. If they don’t want our business, fine. But, I still can’t help but wonder if there’s something we might have done that made them turn us away. I’ve been wracking my brain trying to come up with a logical reason they’d oust us and I can’t come up with one. So, I’m back to square one. Is this normal?

Thanks,

Ousted from the Pediatric Dentist in Auburn

 

Dear Ousted,

It probably wasn’t you or your daughter and they were probably telling the total truth. We’ll break it down.

Pediatric Dentists Do Common Surgeries

It’s common for pediatric dentists to do just about anything that has to do with baby teeth, including common minor surgeries, like tooth extractions. When a primary (baby) tooth becomes infected or has a large cavity that reaches the pulp or comes close to it, it’s not usually a “surgery” that needs to be done in a traditional sense. The procedure is called a pulpotomy. It’s similar to a root canal and many offices even call it a “baby root canal” because people are more familiar with the term. Most offices will perform pulpotomies and even place a silver crown on top of a baby tooth too.

They Often Refer Out for Complex Work or Repairs on Adult Teeth

Given your daughter’s age and your description, it sounds like it’s one of her permanent (adult) teeth that requires treatment, in which case, a traditional root canal is necessary. A dentist who specializes in helping kids might not do that kind of repair on an adult tooth, especially if he or she feels it needs a permanent tooth-colored crown on top after for added strength.

In these cases, they’ll often refer a patient to a family dentist for a root canal and crown or, at the very least, will refer the patient to a root canal specialist, known as an endodontist.

You May Be Happier with a Family Dentist

It doesn’t sound like they’re giving you the boot—not if they didn’t formally inform you that you’re not welcomed back to the practice after this tooth is repaired. However, if you want to ensure continuity of treatment and prefer to keep your daughter with the same doctor as much as possible, you’ll probably be happier transferring her to your family dentist.

 

This blog is sponsored by Dr. Raymond Bolt, an Auburn, AL dentist that provides comprehensive care for the entire family.